Doing Business
Access to Markets/Transportation
The province of Alberta is optimally located to minimize market access costs related to transportation and distribution. Producers and shippers in the province enjoy some of the lowest access costs for both imports and exports in Western North America.
Roadway System
Major East-West Corridors:
- Highways 16 and 28 run through the region from theSaskatchewan border to Edmonton. Highway 16 is part of the Yellowhead branch of the Trans-Canada Highway system that connects Western Canada to the strategic ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver in British Columbia.
- Highway 55 is coined the Northern Woods and Water Route. It meets with Highway 63 from Fort McMurray to Cold Lake and connects Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC. Other East-West major corridors include Highways 45, 29 and 15.
Major North-South high load corridors include Highways 41 and 36.Markets by Sector
Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor
The Northeast Alberta region is part of the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor (EATC), which offers opportunity and direct access to incredible growth. The EATC is the northern portion of the Ports to Plains Corridor extending from the Gulf of Mexico through the heartland of the United States and meeting with the Wild Horse and Coutts/Sweetgrass Ports of Entry into Alberta and the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor.
Air Service
- Paved, local airports in the region offer charter and/or cargo flights.
- Close proximity to Edmonton and Calgary International Airports offer daily flights to major Canadian, American, and international cities.
| Airports | Charter | Cargo | Runway |
| Bonnyville Regional Airport | 4,400ft | ||
| Cold Lake Regional Airport | 3,300ft | ||
| Elk Point Airport | 4,400ft | ||
| Lac La Biche | 5,800ft | ||
| St. Paul Airport | 3,500ft | ||
| Two Hills Airport | 2,900ft | ||
| Vegreville Airport | 4,000ft | ||
| Vermillion Municipal Airport | 3,300ft |
Rail
Two national rail carriers service the Alberta HUB region: Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway. Both carriers have intermodal yards in the city of Edmonton. Approximately 8,000 km of track in the province of Alberta connect it to all of Canada, North America and major ocean ports. Lamont County is served by both carriers and CN runs a main track East-West though Vegreville, Innisfree, Mannville, Vermilion and Kitscoty. CN’s main North-South track runs through Lac La Biche County.
Commercial Shipping Ports
Strategically located to two of Canada’s ocean ports, the Port of Vancouver and Port of Prince Rupert, for moving goods to the Pacific Rim
US Ports of Entry
- Coutts, Alberta – Sweetgrass, Montana
- Wild Horse Pass Montana